Take us back to the start of your sporting career -- from Olympic aspirations in trampolining to diving to now making a name and career in high diving: what prompted you to abandon the classic 10m dives to launch yourself from extreme heights such as 20 meters?

"I did traditional diving for 14 years, from 3 to 10 meters on the platform, and I really enjoyed it. But I always had this dream of representing Canada internationally, and I always finished fourth. To represent Canada, you have to be in the top two, so for me it was like, 'Okay, it's time to go higher, let's see what I can do. ' During Covid, I switched to high diving because Montreal has the only 20-meter platform in the world. We started training there, and I happened to be really good, and I fell in love with it, and here we are today."

You have become an icon even out of the water, thanks to the #BraveGang movement: how important is it to inspire young people and share your challenges on social media?

"I absolutely love high diving and representing Canada, but I've learned that a lot of my motivation comes from the impact I have on others. I struggle a lot with anxiety and mental health myself, so I wanted to share all my ups and downs with the world, and I gathered over 6 million followers by sharing this very, very vulnerable side of myself. I just want everyone to know that they are not alone. When I was 16, and I was diving, I was nervous. I thought I had to be perfect, but I don't. We all go through it, and I love my #BraveGang community because we're all there for each other."

You come into Porto Flavia having won the last two High Diving World Cups (Bahrain 2024 and Ft. Lauderdale 2023), while Australia’s Rhiannan Iffland is the five-time defending World Champion. How do you view competing against an athlete like Rhiannan with that kind of success and consistency?

"Rhiannan is a great opponent in high diving. It inspired me for many years to be my most consistent self, to strive for that level. And it shows in her eyes: she still has fun, and that makes her so successful. It took me a long time to understand: 'ok, what is my joy? Why do I jump from these crazy heights?' And I think we can all learn from her that you have to truly love someone in order to continue being a winner. When my mental health is at its lowest, I don't perform well. This year my anxiety was really, really high, and I finished ninth at the World Championships because I slipped off the platform. It was a really scary summer. So, for me, just the fact that I came back here and faced it again makes me proud of myself for having succeeded. It's a really exciting thing."

Polignano a Mare put you to the test with one of the most difficult moments of your career, with an accident you've spoken openly about. How much has your relationship with fear changed? 

"In Polignano a Mare, I faced one of the scariest days of my life. I slipped from a 22m high platform. It was a dive that I know how to do very well, but I experienced something so traumatic and I fell. I was supposed to do four laps, but I only did two. And I'm just proud of myself for being able to land safely. Obviously, I decided to share everything openly on social media. I want to share with everyone what happened, because if they are not there for me on my worst days, then I don't want them on my best days. It was a very intense journey to get back up there, but I'm doing it, and it's an act of courage."

What was the best moment you experienced from the platform, the one you will always carry in your heart? 

"The best memory I have of high diving was the first time I competed, in Saint-Raphaël, France. I had hated my body for so many years. I was a teenager, struggling with an eating disorder and thinking I couldn't be myself. But as soon as I entered high diving, I looked at myself and loved who I was. It was such a special moment and I did my best performance precisely because I had finally found love for myself. And I think we can all learn from that: the kinder we are to ourselves, the more successful we can be."

You have quite the committed fan base on social media: how do you live the direct relationship with the fans? 

"I wasn't sure how my life on social media would affect my life as an athlete, but in the end, it's giving me so much strength. I never feel alone on that platform. I feel like I'm up there surrounded by so many people who support motivation, my sportsman's mentality... that support courage, and I know that I will never be alone again."

Parting Shot | Porto Flavia  Women's Podium Crew Victory Jet-Ski Ride